Chapter 262: General Hu's Invitation

Li Xuan originally planned to bring Qi Zhanzhuo to Chen Ji to sincerely apologize, but seeing the completely empty inn hall at this moment, he was momentarily unsure of what to do.

Qi Zhanzhuo softly muttered, "Maybe they just aren't coming back."

Li Xuan raised his eyebrows. "It won't come to that."

Qi Zhanzhuo softly analyzed, "Brother-in-law, it's impossible for Chen Ji to find grain every day. If he finds several dozen jin of grain again, that's enough for the four of them to eat for a long time, but there won't be much left if he divides it among us, the Yu Lin Army. If I were him, I'd also hide and eat it myself and not come back."

"That's not good," Li Xuan hurriedly ran to the backyard. Only when he saw Zao Zao still waiting in the stable did he breathe a sigh of relief. "The horse is still here, they will come back."

Li Xuan turned around and saw Qi Zhanzhuo still in a daze. He immediately impatiently urged, "What are you still in a daze for? Go and call all our men to find grain. Remember, when Chen Ji comes back, you must sincerely apologize to him. Absolutely do not act on impulse."

"Brother-in-law, don't worry. Chen Ji was able to find grain, which means there are definitely still people hiding grain in this city. If he can find it, I can certainly find it for you too," Qi Zhanzhuo ran to wake up the Yu Lin Army from the communal beds in the servants' quarters and led a large group of people out the door to find food.

The inn fell quiet again. Li Xuan sat by the Baxian table, his worried brows tightly furrowed.

It was past chen time. Chen Liqin brought Liang shi, Chen Wenzong, Chen Wenxiao, Wang Gui, and Dong Zhi downstairs. He politely greeted Li Xuan. "Li Daren, good morning."

Li Xuan weakly cupped his hands. "Chen Daren, good morning."

Chen Liqin's gaze swept around the completely empty hall. He asked doubtfully, "Why is only Li Daren sitting here? Where are the others?"

Li Xuan explained, "They all went out to find grain."

Wang Gui asked with a fawning smile, "Li Daren, I wonder if the Yu Lin Army still has stored grain. My master, madam, and young masters haven't eaten breakfast yet."

Li Xuan shook his head. "None. The Yu Lin Army only has five days' rations left for the hall. This absolutely cannot be touched."

Wang Gui was slightly startled, then became anxious. "Then what about the five jin of yellow flour my Chen family took out yesterday?"

Li Xuan glanced at him. "It was all cooked in last night's porridge. Didn't you drink it?"

Wang Gui asked with an anxious, pale face, "It was all cooked? There's no reason for all of you Yu Lin Army to not leave any stored grain!"

Li Xuan said in a deep voice, "It was originally difficult for the Yu Lin Army to search for grain for a whole day outside. If they don't even drink a bowl of porridge, what will they do if their bodies collapse?"

Wang Gui wanted to refute again, but heard Chen Liqin angrily snap, "Enough! How dare a servant question Li Daren's decision?"

Wang Gui shrank his neck and said no more.

Li Xuan also softened his tone. "Chen Daren, Chen Furen, please calm down. Qi Zhanzhuo has already led people out to find grain. They will more or less be able to find some. Even if it's not as much as yesterday, it won't let everyone starve to death."

Just as he finished speaking, the cotton cloth curtain was lifted and Qi Zhanzhuo ducked into the room, patting the dust off his body.

Li Xuan hurriedly asked, "Did you find grain?"

Qi Zhanzhuo shook his head. "No. Last night, the local gangs in Gansu Yuan brought people to plunder several wards and searched away all the remaining grain.

Li Xuan was startled. "Didn't you find even a little? You vowed this morning that since Chen Ji could find it, you certainly could too. Now what?"

Qi Zhanzhuo said awkwardly, "Indeed, not even a little..."

Li Xuan said in a low voice, "You didn't find grain, so why did you come back? Since you knew you weren't as capable as Chen Ji, you should have restrained yourself last night and not angered him away!"

"I'm not capable?" Qi Zhanzhuo was annoyed and ashamed, and angry. "Li Xuan! Don't forget how you got this official position. If it wasn't for my sister..."

"Qi Zhanzhuo!" Li Xuan suddenly stood up and said coldly, "My Li family relied on ancestral official positions. That year, I originally wanted to enter the three great imperial front camps. It was your grandfather who ruined my future and forced me to marry into your Qi family, not me crying and begging to enter your Qi family!"

Qi Zhanzhuo's face flushed red. "You were able to be promoted to Xun Dao Jing at the age of thirty, didn't you still rely on the cultivation resources the Qi family gave you, eating branch after branch of ginseng, buying piece after piece of Yangqing jade? If you had gone to the three great camps, who would have given you these cultivation resources? Your current Xun Dao Jing, isn't it all thanks to my sister's dowry?"

Li Xuan was speechless for a moment, finally waving his hand powerlessly. "I can't control you. Do whatever you want to do."

Chen Wenzong, who was at the side, lightly said, "When arguing, don't speak to hurt people. Once some words are said, they cannot be taken back."

Qi Zhanzhuo also regretted the argument a little, but he couldn't bring himself to apologize.

Li Xuan took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and looked at Chen Wenzong, cupping his fist. "Chen Shaoye, I know Chen Ji respects you. Later, if he comes back, I hope you can say a few words for us. The matter of finding grain cannot be delayed."

Chen Wenzong shook his head. "Sorry, I cannot say anything."

Li Xuan was stunned.

Chen Wenzong said seriously, "Li Daren, although I am also hungry, my younger brother suffered an injustice yesterday that was not in vain. It cannot be just dismissed like this. Whoever he is willing to forgive and whoever he is not willing to forgive, I, as an older brother, cannot make the decision for him, nor can I act as an accomplice who wronged him. In case he chooses to compromise out of consideration for my face, I will not be at ease in my heart."

Li Xuan sighed heavily. "I understand Wenzong wise brother's meaning, but..."

Chen Wenzong cupped his hands. "Li Daren, no need to say more. I am also going out to find grain."

Saying that, he lifted the door curtain and walked out of the inn.

Chen Wenxiao, who was beside Liang shi, suddenly said, "Li Daren, no need to worry. Later when Chen Ji comes back, let my father talk to him."

Li Xuan glanced at Chen Wenxiao but paid no attention.

Now, within this room, only Chen Wenzong had some weight with Chen Ji. As for Chen Liqin, Chen Liqin himself didn't dare to boast about being able to persuade Chen Ji.

Everyone in the hall eagerly waited until noon. The Yu Lin Army returned one after another. Except for a few people who found several pieces of mixed grain cakes, everyone returned empty-handed.

These few pieces of mixed grain cakes were not even enough for one person to lick a mouthful.

By evening, Chen Wenxiao and the others were so hungry that their eyes were straight. Every time someone lifted the door curtain, their hearts would rise with anticipation, but this anticipation would instantly fall empty again.

There was no grain in Gansu Yuan, truly none.

The cotton cloth curtain was lifted again. The orange sunset from outside shone in, plating a layer of gold on the edge of the incoming person's body.

Li Xuan saw clearly who it was and stood up. "Chen Ji!"

Everyone's gazes were burning, staring straight at the door.

Chen Ji, holding Wu Yun, stepped over the threshold and calmly surveyed the large crowd in the main hall. "You're all here?"

Li Xuan didn't care about anything else. He took two steps forward and asked urgently, "Chen Ji, did you find grain today?"

Chen Ji shook his head. "No. Today, the wealthy merchants in Gansu Yuan City were all robbed. Only a few official residences of major wealthy merchants managed to protect their family businesses. Gansu Yuan City is already in chaos, the border army cannot manage it."

Chen Wenxiao stood up and asked reproachfully, "Didn't you find even a little grain?"

Chen Ji hummed, and the main hall fell silent again.

Just in this silence, Xiao Man suddenly let out a full burp.

Chen Ji: "......"

Li Xuan: "......"

Everyone's gazes turned towards Xiao Man. Xiao Man covered her mouth with both hands in fright and looked at Zhang Xia for help.

Zhang Xia smiled. "What are you afraid of? We didn't do anything guilty. There are some people who aren't willing to eat the clean grain that came. We aren't forcing them. What if we bring grain back today and get slandered again? Isn't that asking for trouble? Xiao Man, you're right, aren't you?"

Xiao Man nodded heavily. "A Xia Jie is right!"

She rolled her eyes. "But A Xia Jie, what about those people who have nothing to eat? They are so pitiful."

Zhang Xia smiled and chimed in, "Let them suffer. This is only the second day of the siege, there's still a lot of hardship to endure."

Chen Wenxiao angrily pointed at the two people. "You!"

Zhang Xia's face suddenly turned cold. "Chen Wenxiao, don't think I don't know how you got that *Ya Kui*. If you dare to point at us again—if you dare to say bad things about Chen Ji behind his back again, don't blame me for being impolite!"

Zhang Zheng echoed, "Exactly!"

The young girl in red stood tall in the middle of the hall, facing dozens of Yu Lin Army without fear. Xiao Man slightly raised her head to look at Zhang Xia's profile, her eyes sparkling brightly.

Li Xuan gave Qi Zhanzhuo a look and squeezed out the words through gritted teeth. "Apologize!"

Qi Zhanzhuo reluctantly stood up, but before he could open his mouth to apologize, the inn's door curtain was lifted again.

The crowd looked over and saw a border army armored soldier enter the door and ask loudly, "Which one is the Chen family young master?"

Chen Wenxiao replied, "I am."

The border army armored soldier glanced at him. "Dare I ask if you are Chen Ji, Chen Shaoye?"

Chen Wenxiao choked.

Chen Ji turned his head and asked curiously, "I am Chen Ji. What instructions does this general have?"

The border army armored soldier said expressionlessly, "Chen Shaoye, my general Hu has invited you."

Li Xuan and Qi Zhanzhuo immediately exchanged glances. What did Hu Junxian want with Chen Ji?